This past year, I’ve sort of thrown myself into the world of education. It wasn’t so much a gradual step over from record production into the classroom, but a 30,000 foot parachute jump. What started as summer camp trips to the USA with groups of music students has grown into a full fledged arts center. We even have our own café theater. What a change. So now, instead of worrying about studio equipment, concert managers, and publishing deals, I find myself worrying about music stands, PTA meetings, and Do Re and Mi.
No more 3:00am Fu-Hsing South Rd. midnight snacks after a smoky jam session at the Opium Den. No more rolling out of bed around 2:00pm. This is a different world. The world of school. Early to bed, early to rise…oh my god…where’s my coffee, it’s sunrise…
In the past six months, we’ve established a musical theater program, an orchestra, a jazz band, a marching band, chamber music groups, and a choir. I’ve never been more surrounded with activity in my life. I thought being a professional musician was hectic. That was when I only played one instrument. Now I’ve got about six other instruments to play. And to think that I used to whine about the time it took write arrangements for my own group. Now there are five groups wanting music yesterday. There’s just so much to do, so much to learn. I have a newfound respect for all my old band teachers. I don’t know how they did it.
In an effort to find out more about what’s happening out there in Taiwan arts education land, I’ve been dropping in on Board of Education meetings, listening to teachers, talking to parents, working with schools, and attending youth competitions and concerts around the island.
I’ve learned a lot. Recently, while sitting in on a planning meeting for the next two year’s national education curriculum, I listened to each representative educator stand up and discuss in detail why their department was important in the role of student development. It was a fascinating lesson in Taiwan education, hearing what these educators had to say. What was even more fascinating was that when it was time for the arts education panel to give their speech, I couldn’t hear what was being said over the crackling din of plastic lunch boxes being pried opened. Several people began talking out loud, and many more just left. Lunch was more important it seemed than a performing arts curriculum. At least for the next two years.
When we ordered instruments for our band members, I negotiated aggressively with the instrument manufacturer for the best prices for my students. I was able slash the cost by a third. The funny thing was that when parents paid for the instruments, they just couldn’t understand why our instruments were so cheap. I was afraid that maybe they had doubts about buying locally made horns, so I explained that I had tried all these instruments personally and thought they were perfectly suitable for students. They needn’t worry at all. “Oh no, that’s not what we meant. It’s just strange that the same exact instrument costs twice as much from other places.” I laughed and told them that we were just passing on our discount to them. Every family should be able to afford a musical instrument. Learning music shouldn’t have to be expensive. But I’m sure most enterprising music teachers will disagree.
With all these different music groups, I run across all sorts of good young performers. As part of their training I try to find performance opportunities for them so that they know how it feels to perform in front of people. I think it’s important that if you want to be a performer, you should understand how to begin to prepare for a performance. This includes repertoire planning, ironing your clothes, being on time, thinking about what to say to the audience, how to stand or sit, and basically how to perform so that people will want to watch what you are doing. So we try to find locations such as coffee shops, bookstores, department stores, etc., who will these young performers come and play. During a recent short performance at a bookstore, I was fussing over music stands and nervous kids, when an “agent” who was looking for “artists” for various “cases” approached me with a gleam in his eye. This person wanted to know what my “fee” was for my “talent,” and if we could “cooperate” on a “percentage basis” in the future. I thought for a second that I was having a weird record company flashback. Then I said something that you rarely hear in this city.
“Hey, relax, we’re just here to have fun.”
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